Frame swaps look easy when someone else does one. You will need a lot of fabricating equipment such as torches, welder, plasma, saws, grinders, etc.... a pretty big list. Unless you have the right equipment, AND the knowledge to accomplish the swap, you are in for a tough deal. You'll have to fabricate body mounts, cut the floor pan in several places and patch those spots. You will have to get a non-stock fuel tank to work and may have to relocate the fuel filler... it is not easy to do.

It should not be hard to find another Chevy "top hat" frame for little $$$. You can get a bolt-on IFS from Chassis Engineering. The rear springs will work fine... just find an appropriate rear axle.

Frame swaps look easy when someone else does one. You will need a lot of fabricating equipment such as torches, welder, plasma, saws, grinders, etc.... a pretty big list. Unless you have the right equipment, AND the knowledge to accomplish the swap, you are in for a tough deal. You'll have to fabricate body mounts, cut the floor pan in several places and patch those spots. You will have to get a non-stock fuel tank to work and may have to relocate the fuel filler... it is not easy to do.

It should not be hard to find another Chevy "top hat" frame for little $$$. You can get a bolt-on IFS from Chassis Engineering. The rear springs will work fine... just find an appropriate rear axle.

I'd stay with a stock Chevy frame....

Yes, all that equipment makes it easier, but it can and is done with much less. I've done them with just a sawzall, portaband, and a MIG welder, and they can easily be done without the portaband, but it makes fabricating easier for me.
Didn't have any experience the first time either, but tking my time and looking everything over multiple times, plus test fitting, made it come out great.
I did my own because I wanted the experience, and I wanted the savings of doing it myself. Anyone can write a check to have somebody else do it, but doing it yourself is way more fun!

Washington's system seems to bring up all sorts of flaws in my mind. If you built a car using that system I would have a title for the body and frame, and then when the frame was removed and a donor frame used, I'd have to have a 2nd title for that frame.
At this point I guess the state would determine which title was used to make the new title. But if frame and body were separated, then both used on other projects, which one would get the title?
That's some crazy stuff there!

It can be very frustrating it seems at times, but I do understand the underlaying reason for it. But it is just the frames that carry the title, surprisingly not the body shell.

Your Chevy has, or had, a serial number on the body (not to be confused with the data plate on the firewall). That # is what was used to get the original title for the car IN MOST STATES. Some, like Wisconsin, used the engine # which is different in most cars of that era.

True there is the "secret" serial # located in a mysterious spot somewhere on the frame... but I've been asked by my state patrol to help them find those #'s a few times when there was a rebuilt vehicle title inspection issue... and we have come up with nothing.

Now Henry Ford stamped all of his frames starting in the teens... but GM did not AFAIK.

VIN numbers did not appear on cars until 1969. The vin # id's the car and it's major components something that did not happen with a simple serial number.

Your Chevy has, or had, a serial number on the body (not to be confused with the data plate on the firewall). That # is what was used to get the original title for the car IN MOST STATES. Some, like Wisconsin, used the engine # which is different in most cars of that era.

True there is the "secret" serial # located in a mysterious spot somewhere on the frame... but I've been asked by my state patrol to help them find those #'s a few times when there was a rebuilt vehicle title inspection issue... and we have come up with nothing.

Now Henry Ford stamped all of his frames starting in the teens... but GM did not AFAIK.

VIN numbers did not appear on cars until 1969. The vin # id's the car and it's major components something that did not happen with a simple serial number.

Being a novice, I'd find stock frame and go from there...

Well, that was straight from the trooper's mouth, the frame is what carries the title here, so that is what I am going by. Still looking for a stock frame too, but not with any kind of luck.

Well, that was straight from the trooper's mouth, the frame is what carries the title here, so that is what I am going by. Still looking for a stock frame too, but not with any kind of luck.

When you find a frame for that Chevy you won't find a serial # on it...then what? I'd look up the WA motor vehicle codes and find out for sure... I believe he's wrong... at least when it comes to older vehicles.

Interesting. My Austin came with a Washington title when I got it, and the only number that Oregon DMV could find that matched the Wa. VIN was the engine number. The firewall tag and stamped numbers were both different than the engine VIN on the title.
Wasn't an issue with Oregon, as they just wanted something somewhere that matched the Wa. title to re-issue an Or. assigned VIN.

Interesting. My Austin came with a Washington title when I got it, and the only number that Oregon DMV could find that matched the Wa. VIN was the engine number. The firewall tag and stamped numbers were both different than the engine VIN on the title.
Wasn't an issue with Oregon, as they just wanted something somewhere that matched the Wa. title to re-issue an Or. assigned VIN.

I know it can be extremely frustrating at times. If I remember right, some vehicles were registered off the engine number, and if the engine was ever changed, it required an inspection and new reqistration....ugh!!

When you find a frame for that Chevy you won't find a serial # on it...then what? I'd look up the WA motor vehicle codes and find out for sure... I believe he's wrong... at least when it comes to older vehicles.

True, especially on those older ones. But I have located a 1955 Chevy frame, most measurements are close enough to use it as a start, then graft a newer front clip on it. I just need to get there and pick it up...about 75 miles away, but free is a very good price.

And, yes, while it is just a bare, but roller frame with no body or firewall, it does have the VIN stamped into the frame rail, as do a lot of cars & trucks. So I can obtain the proper paperwork from that and get a registration with no hassles.

I appreciate everyone's comments, tips, thoughts and sugguestions, now...on to the next step in this little adventure!!!!

Now Henry Ford stamped all of his frames starting in the teens... but GM did not AFAIK.

VIN numbers did not appear on cars until 1969. The vin # id's the car and it's major components something that did not happen with a simple serial number.

Being a novice, I'd find stock frame and go from there...

i have to disagree with this. my 63 nova i know exactly where the VIN is stamped into the body(being that it's a unibody with no frame). and it does match the vin tag on the firewall as well as in the door jamb.

as for the rear steering nova's you want the first gen 62-67 setup(but it's not very great with geometry) personally i'd recommend MII and a rack.

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